We-itino-desk



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.V

`JOHN w. rIEsTER, or NEW LEXINGTON, OHIO.

WRITING-DESK.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 21,249, dated August 24, 1858.

To @ZZ whom Zt may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. FrEsTER, of New Lexington, Perry county, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in lVriting-Desks; and I do hereby Ydeclare that the following is a full and exact 4description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the drawing Figure l is a side elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan view, Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

The interior construction is shown in dotted lines. The red lines represent the cloth and its position.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In constructing my desk the different parts are designated by the letters of reference.

In Fig. l, a, the body of the desk; Z), the book; e the bo-ard on which the hand rests; o, its hinge; UZ, the crank; e, the end of roller for operating the record or book, and copy to be recorded; f, the lower front roller around which the cord Z operates, which cord has its end attached to the roller e; g, the center roller or double pulley on which the cord Z operates, in moving the book and copy; ZL, the `upper roller or pulley on copy roller, j; in this roller is a slot into which the copy is placed; 7c, the catch` lever for holding top up; Z0', the fulcrum of said lever; m, the copy; a, the spring under which the copy passes and aids in directing it; 0, the bearings of the copy roller. The arrows show the direction of the cord in moving the copy and book.

In Fig. 2, the small letters refer to like parts as in Fig. l. The large alphabet refers to parts not before designated: A the longitudinal rollers to which the cloth is attached and around which are coiled springs seen in dotted lines Fig. 3,713 the scales resting with each end, (on which is a pulley roller,) on a cord attached to the right and left rollers A; e the center roller under cord c which cord is seen in dotted lines in Figs. 2, and 3.

In Fig. 3, like letters designate like parts,

as in Figs. l and 2. In Fig. 3 B is the grooves in the end of the disk in which the scales move. D is the cloth; e the center roller.

In the operation of my invention the record is placed at the lower end of the desk and the hand board o turned over it, or it may be turned out from the desk. This board is beveled in front to a feather edge, and is attached to the desk with its thick edge by means of hinges. l/'Vhen it is thus arranged and turned back, the edge of the board acts as a fulcrum for its leverage, and holds it in its place, the cord Z is drawn down to the book and is attached to it, as seen in Fig. 2. The copy is then placed in the slot in the roller j passing through the opening under spring (n) and as the greater part of the weight of the book will be on the right side of the desk it will press more heavily on the right side-of the scales, and at the same time raise up the left side, thus making the plane of both sides of the book equal, or even, and this equality of the plane or surface of the book is kept up at `all times however the weight of the sides of the book may vary, whether on the right or left hand. The back of the book rests on the cloth between the scales and sinks down by its weight while the lids lie on the scales on either side and is alternately raised or lowered as the weight of the sides change thus always keeping the recording surface of the book at a uniform plane.

When it is necessary to move the book up, I have only to turn the crank, CZ, with the hand and as it revolves it will move the cord Z in the direction of the arrows, turning at the same time the copy roller j which moves up the copy, and drawing up the book or record, both the copy and the book moving a corresponding distance.

It will be seen that when the board c, rests on the book, that its front edgebeing reduced to a feather edge it rests in a horizontal line on the open face of the book as it rests entirely on the book and hinges and desk, then rearrange the copy and again board c hinged to the desk, as and for the eorlivmence il'ecording another page. purposes specified.

hat I c aim is- 1 The arrangement of rollers A A, With JOHN W' FIESTLR' 5 coiled springs attached, With the horzon- Witnesses:

tal cords C, on pulley z, the canvas arranged SAMUEL BROWN,

on the rollers, and scales, and the hand ISRAEL HITCHCOCK. 

